Last season was something of a fluke for the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, they failed to make the playoffs. That’s not likely to happen in 2024 — as long as Joe Burrow can stay healthy.
Burrow had a pair of injuries last season. He suffered a calf injury in training camp that played a key role in the team’s slow start, and then he suffered wrist injury that knocked him out for the final seven games of the season.
The Bengals finished 9-8 as they lost in Weeks 16 and 17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. Those defeats left the Bengals on the outside of the playoff structure looking in.
While the Bengals appear to be fairly healthy as they get set to open the season with a home game against the beleaguered New England Patriots in Week 1, another old bugaboo is impacting the Bengals.
Superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase has been battling for a new contract throughout training camp and defensive end Trey Hendrickson would also like a new deal. The Bengals appeared to shake their reputation as a team that was hesitant to hand out big-money contracts when they paid Burrow (five years, $275 million), but neither Chase nor Hendrickson had a new deal as of Sept. 1.
That could reportedly change for Chase at any time, but Hendrickson may have to wait to get a new deal.
